


The Ghost and the Boy

by orphan_account



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: AU, Ghost! Hannibal, M/M, NSFW later on, Ouija, Possessive Hannibal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-01 19:06:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2784293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal is a ghost who has watched Will since he was a child, but now Will is older and Hannibal is feeling things he shouldn't for the boy. Perhaps a ouiji board and drunk summoning will bring this ghost into Will's world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The house had been abandoned at one point, and odd 25 years ago, give or take. Drunks and vandals would come in from time to time and wreck the already ruined house. It was a small house, not a fancy haunted mansion that usually drew people in, but it was haunted none-the-less.

Some said it was a serial killer who had hidden away there, exacting revenge on his enemies until one day he was the one with the knife in his back. Others claimed it was an insane man who had been locked away from civilization, and had eventually killed himself. Many more said it was a wandering spirit, or a dead vampire, or nothing at all. But none of them knew the truth, the spirit had not died there, nor was it wandering from haunting to haunting. It was a serial killer, in a past life, but a more sophisticated kind, not so petty as to sink a knife into ones' back and leave. No, that would be a waste of meat. 

Truth was, even the spirit didn't know who it was or how it had died, it just knew it was dangerous and needed to stay away from people, lest it hurt someone. It had stayed in the house for only a few years when a foolish man and his young son, and only them, had taken up the offer of a cheap cabin in the woods, having been told it was a 'fixer upper'. But that didn't stop the man, afterall, he needed a place for him and his son, now that the mother had kicked him out, child and all. Now he was in this run down shack with a crying two year old and no money. 

The spirit watched as the toddler was very gently layed in the car seat that had no car to go with, and got to work cleaning. The spirit knelt down next to the small, innocent child, and wondered if it was just a coincidence that the child looked right at him.

"Dada! Dada! There's a man!" The spirit flinched away as the child shouted, finding it strange that the child did not fear him, but instead looked and sounded happy to see him. The father ran in, looking around frantically for whoever had dared come near his precious son.

"Where is he?" The man finally asked, after searching the whole room for the intruder, and not finding anything.

"There!" The man smiled and sighed with relief when he saw that it was an empty space.

"So you've made a new friend?" The boy nodded, smiling widely at the specter, who smiled back, because now he too had a new friend.  
\-------------------------  
When Will was 5 he still talked to the spirit, for he still was glowing with new life and therefore could see those with no life, beginning and end, to use an example. His father asked him about his 'imaginary friend' one day.

"What's his name?"  
"Hannibal"  
"What does he look like?"  
"Rich. He has a suit and his hair is real nice. An' he has red eyes, but not the scary kind, like the ones the white haired boy at school has"  
"So he has white hair?"  
"No. It's blond, like, dirty blond, brown blond. With some gray"  
"How old is he?"  
"I dunno. 40s, maybe. He doesn't have wrinkles though."  
"What do you two talk about?"  
"I talk about school, mostly"  
"And what does he say?"  
"Just says things back. I don't understand what he says sometimes. He has a-a.."  
"An accent?"  
"Yeah! Real thick, but he uses big words like you do with your friends."  
"So he's smart?"  
"Yeah. He uses some words I neva' heard before, an' I have to ask him to slow down and use small words. An' he does. Cause he's nice."  
\-------------------------  
Will eventually stopped talkkng to Hannibal. It was gradual, at first he wouldn't say hi when he came home, then he wouldn't eben look at him. By the time he was 15 Hannibal was just an imaginary friend from his childhood.  
\-------------------------  
Will stumbled into the now much better looking shack with a few temporary, as always, friends. Ever since his father died a few months ago on his 26th birthday Will had been a wreck. Drinking and trespassing, getting undressed in public, and just being unstable in general. 

One of the 'friends' was carrying a game box, for a board game. Hannibal found this odd, until he saw the cover. 'Ouiji Board'. He groaned at first, but realized he could finally communicate with his dear Will again. The 'friends' huddled into the closet under the stairs together, much too close to Will for Hannibal's liking. Some candles were lit and the board was place in the center of them, each one placing the tips of their fingers on the planchette. Hannibal settled on Will's lap and waited for the first question.


	2. Chapter 2

"Is there a spirit with us?" One of the friends giggled but the one who had spoken gave him a harsh glare. Hannibal sighed, he wanted to speak to Will, not these idiots. He wrapped his arms around Will's neck, refusing to answer as he snuggled into the human's warmth.

"Maybe you should ask... Phil, was it? It is your house afterall." Will giggled at the mistake while Hannibal growled, pulling himself closer to Will. After Will calmed down he repeated the previously asked question.

"Is there a spirit with us?" Hannibal unwrapped his arms and shifted on Will's lap so he could push the planchette.

"Yes." Will said this under his breath, but they could all see the answer. He didn't know the spirit was currently happily squished in his lap since he had to lean forward when the planchette moved.

"How-How long have you been here?" The room had grown dead serious (get it? "Dead".  
Like a ghost. Anyone?) The planchette moved down to the numbers, 

"30..." Back up to the letters, "Y-e-a-r-s..." Will's voice tapered off as realization set in, for even in a drunken state he could put the pieces together. 

"Is your name 'Hannibal'?" The planchette moved back up. Up to 'Yes'.  
\-------------------------  
Will wasn't sure how to feel. Definitely not happy, most certainly scared, but something else. He remembered reading an old newspaper article, about a serial killer dubbed 'Hannibal the Cannibal' that, well you can figure it out. The picture shown in the article had looked just like his old imaginary friend, but he passed it off as having seen the article before, when he was younger, and making the man into a figment of his imagination. But now, now he knee that his friend was as real as he had felt, and a cold-blooded killer who had rotted away in an asylum many years ago.

"Why are you here?" Will's voice was shaking, and Hannibal wished that in that moment he could comfort the man, reach out and stroke his face while whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Instead he moved the planchette.

"To hide" He could feel Will's heartbeat pick up, and he wanted so badly to calm him in some way. 

"What do you want?" Will felt like he was going to cry, and his 'friends' couldn't help but feel sympathetic. They then focused their eyes on the planchette as it moved between the three letters before stopping.

'You' Will was knocked down as his so called friends ran out of the closet, knocking over and extinguishing the candles. He didn't understand why they were so scared, the ghost wanted him, not them. He felt a slight warmth at being wanted, but then remembered just who this was and quickly scrambled to leave, but the door was slammed in his face by a powerful wind. The candles flickered to light as Will screamed for help. He didn't want to die yet.

There was a breeze along Will's neck, making him turn around and see the Ouija board was still there. He shakily knelt down, putting his fingers on the planchette, and tried to think of a question. 

"Where are you?" Hannibal smiled as he heard the question right in his ear. He had curled around Will, facing him, since he couldn't sit on his lap. He lazily leaned back and moved the planchette. 

"In front of you." Will flinched backwards violently, bringing Hannibal's weightless form with him. Will was waving his arms through the air in front of him, and unknowingly passing through Hannibal. The feeling was not entirely unpleasant, more like being tickled, unlike what he'd heard in the past. 

After Will had finished getting Hannibal away (completely unsuccessfully) he inched back to the Ouija board.

"What do you want? Besides me." The spirit smiled wide, in an almost sinister way as he realized what he could do.

"Be alive" Will paused. "How?" The door was flung open and a piece of wood paneling was knock out of the wall. Will stood on trembling legs, walked over, and reached into the new opening in the wall, expecting the worse. But instead of having his arm grabbed in a heart stopping jump scare, his fingers brushed against a leather binding. He grabbed at the book and pulled it out, shaking off the dust and spider webs, coughing violently while doing so. 

Once the book was moderately clean Will walked back into the closet, moving the Ouija board in order to put the book in the center. A gust of wind nearly put out the candles and the book was opened to the correct page.

Will was shaking as he recited the words the best he could. When he was done using his Latin skills from highschool the book slammed close, and this time the candles did go out and a weight appeared in his lap.

"Well, this is rather nice."


	3. Chapter 3

It took all of Will's strength not to scream, not wanting to scare the potentially murderous former ghost. Hannibal was cradled between his crossed legs, arms around his neck, happy as could be. Will wondered how many times the ghost had been this close to him, how many times he had passed through the ghost or touched it in less than appropriate ways by accident, or vice versa, but on purpose.

Currently Hannibal was getting use to having a solid form. He had Will's hand pressed to a stomach, and was smiling with delight as it didn't pass through. Will was still trying to calm down and think of something to do to get him out of this situation. There was a loud yawn from the ex-ghost, startling Will out of his thoughts.

"I haven't slept in /ages/." Hannibal smiled at his own joke as he gently got up, pulling Will up with him. The boy let himself be brought upstairs while holding the hand of a serial killer. A cannibal. Will started shaking again and he tried to pull away from the older man'd grip. Said man turned his head and gave him a scolding look.

"None of that, William. You need your sleep too." The boy shrunk at the stern tone, terrified of angering the cannibal. 

Will was pulled into his room and guided much more gently to the bed. His closet was opened and Hannibal started looking for too big clothes that Will had bought just because they "might fit someday" and they were on sale. A rare, non-plaid, button-up was pulled out and put on the bed, followed by some slacks.

"You already have a suit, why are you getting changed?" Hannibal shook his head at the question. 

"I can't wear a suit to bed, William. It wouldn't be very comfortable and it would get wrinkled." Will rolled his eyes at the reply. He didn't remember him being this pretentious when he was a child.

"I'll need to use your shower too, if you don't mind."  
"No, no. Go ahead." Hannibal raised an eyebrow at Will's tone, but shrugged it off as the man simply still being drunk. 

As soon as Hannibal had left the room Will was up and packing. He shoved all of his clothes into a bag,grabbed his wallet and went to leave when he noticed the figure in the doorway.

"I left my clothes in here." Hannibal's voice was hurt, even cracking slightly. Will felt a wave of regret wash over him as he watched tears roll down the man's cheeks. He tried to remind himself of just who he was dealing with, but all he could think of is how lonely Hannibal must've felt, finally having a friend who slowly abandons him. Having no one to talk to for 25 years, and another 10 before him. 

Will shuffled over, awkwardly putting a hand on the man's shoulder, but was pulled into a hug before he could remove it. It felt strange to have a man that had always been, and still is, the older, more sophisticated friend, crying into his shoulder. All that time they had been friends Hannibal had never gotten violent or angry. He had taught Will how to play chess, and would even play hide-and-seek or tag when Will's father had to work late, things that someone of Hannibal's profile would never do unless he truly cared for and loved Will. As a friend, of course. (Whatever you say, Will)

Will returned the hug, squeezing the man like he used to, except Hannibal would always say,

"You've gotten so strong, Will! You're going to take all the breath out of me!" Will's eyes flew open when he heard Hannibal say those words. This was a friend, he had no reason to be scared. Slowly Will let his tears flow, soon followed by sobs as he gripped the man tightly. A firm hand started rubbing circles in his back as he was gently led to bed.

"Lay down, dear Will. You need to rest. You are far too overstimulated from today." Will heard the words but didn't listen, his head hurt too much. Hands pushed him onto the bed carefully, pulling the blankets up to his chin. Soft lips pressed to Will's forehead and he slept.  
\-------------------------  
Hannibal finished taking a shower, a luxury he hadn't had in years, and dried himself off with a ratty towel before getting dressed. He walked down the hall and slipped into Will's room, smiling when he saw how peaceful he looked. 

Hannibal flipped over the pillow that had gotten wet from Will's tear, holding Will's head up to do so, and crawled over him and into bed. He decided he wouldn't tell Will he'd used the boy's toothbrush, for it might make him rather uncomfortable. But that was a matter to avoid later, for now Hannibal would tangle his legs with Will's while holding the dear boy to his chest. After a final kiss to Will's face, Hannibal slipped into darkness for the first time in so long.


	4. Being Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal has his limits as a human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for this chapter is from the lovely IaBlMeanie, who has left wonderful comments on basically all my fics!

Will woke up slowly and with a pounding headache. He groaned and struggled to get out of bed, but was being stopped by something. It took a few minutes of kicking and yelling to realize that it was a person holding him. But not a person, more of a former ghost who is solid now. 

There was movement behind Will and the arms around him tightened, followed by a face nuzzling into his neck.

"Good morning, William." The man sounded so happy, and Will softened a bit at the thought. The man had probably forgotten he was a killer anyways, and his revelations from last night came back to him. This was a friend, not foe. 

Will held one of the arms wrapped him close, smiling widely. They laid there for a while, not speaking, only moving to be closer to eachother, or find a more comfortable position. At one point they each thought the other was asleep, and allowed themselves to drift away as well.   
\-------------------------  
Hannibal woke up first this time, and was not surprised to see Will twitching and whimpering, most likely from a nightmare. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man, shushing him and whispering sweet nothings into his ear until the twitching stopped and a look of peace covered Will's features. Hannibal just smiled.  
\-------------------------  
The second time Will awoke his headache was lessened, and there was the distinct smell of something burning. He threw the blankets off of him and ran downstairs, and was greeted with the sight of Hannibal attempting to grab thehandle of a frying pan...and failing? Will took a step closer and saw that Hannibal's hand was actually going through the frying pan, and the nob to turn the stove off.

Will gently moved him aside and turned the stove off, scraping the remnants of the burnt food off the pan and into the sink, turning the self-installed garbage disposal. When he turned to look at Hannibal he was surprised to see the man holding back tears.

"...Hannibal?" Will's voice was soft, like when he coaxed stray (coughstolencough) dogs closer to him. It must've worked because Hannibal hesitantly shuffled forward, letting Will pull him into a loving embrace, which Hannibal did not return.

"What happened?" Will was the first of them to ask, for Hannibal did not know himself.

"I-I couldn't touch anything... I... I thought I was a ghost again." A sob punctuated the sentence, which Will hushed, wiping Hannibal's tears away.

"I can touch you, so you must've just had a little...lapse." Will wasn't sure if the word was right, but it was the best he could do right now. Hannibal suddenly grabbed him tightly, holding him close.

"It's okay now... it's okay..." They stayed there, not speaking for a while, just holding, and that was good enough.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Child! Will fluffiness and some sadness! Enjoy!

\----Many Years Before-----  
"Will, I'm going to go to the store for a little bit. I've locked all the windows and I'm going to lock the door. Don't answer it under any condition, got it?" Will nodded at his father, smiling widely, as usual. The man ruffled his boy's hair before leaving, locking the door behind him. The boy immediately went back to what he was doing before, as if nothing had stopped him.

"Hanni! Where are you?" The man had been reluctant to play hide-and-seek, but didn't show it, not wanting to upset the boy. He also didn't exactly like being called "Hanni", but he put up with it, for Will.  
\-------------------------  
A year later 6 year old Will was enrolled in the school in the next town over. Hannibal was upset, he didn't want to be seperated from his little Will. He worried the other children would be rude and mean, ruining his sweet boy's innocence. 'This boy,' he thought, 'is too precious for this world.'  
\------------------------Will was 13, and depressed. Everyone at school made fun of him; he was 'weird' and only had a dad, which was somehow funny. He was at the last straw, his dad was never home, he had no friends, he had nothing to live for. As he lifted his father's shaving razor to his neck he felt a sudden force pull it away. Everytime he tried to move it the same force would keep it away from his neck or wrists. 

Will finally gave up and ran into his room, confused and upset. The same thing happened with the noose a week later, and the pills a month later on. He didn't know that this was the doing of a ghost that would protect him to the end.


End file.
